Two former Ferrari designers borrowed the evocative look of one of Alfa Romeo’s most revered cars to pen a 55 metre-long catamaran concept powered by electricity from hydrogen fuel cells.
The computer-generated twin-hull is named Migma, Greek for ‘mixture.’ It’s a product of Spanish studio Ruma, whose co-founders Mario Fuentes and Ruben Roldan – prominent automotive design consultants in Europe – have the Alfa Romeo 33 Stradale (below) as one of their favourite designs.
“I love its proportions and fluidity of its shapes – it perfectly projects the sporty essence of the brand,” said Fuentes of the Stradale, of which only 18 were built in the late 1960s.
The Migma catamaran was penned, say the two designers, to illustrate how big spaces can have a proportional minimalist feeling in a luxury identity. Migma could be used for quiet, emissions-free executive outings, or family recreation.
There are two staterooms with ensuite bathrooms, a meeting room, and living and dining areas for two families, along with crew cabins. Wrapped in a bubble of electrochromatic smart glass, the interior has 360-degree views of the sea, but, with the push of a button, the glazing dims for privacy.
Fuentes and Roldan set up the Madrid-based Ruma operation in 2019. Their first big success was the ‘disruptive’ reimagining of a Swiss watch. A motorbike helmet that received a rave response at the 2020 CES show in Las Vegas followed. Both the watch and helmet are pictured below.
The mid-engined 33 Stradale was considered one of the world’s first supercars. It was designed around an all-aluminium body by Franco Scaglione for Alfa Romeo and produced between 1967-69. Scaglione also penned the Maserati 3500GT, NSU Prinz, and Lamborghini 350 GTV.
At the heart of the Stradale was an all-aluminium, 16-valve 2.0-litre V8 engine with a five-bearing crankshaft and four chain-driven camshafts. It delivered around 170kW at 8800rpm and 210Nm at 7000rpm.
Top speed was 260km/h. Power went to the rear wheels via a six-speed manual gearbox. The sprint to 100km/h took just over five seconds, thanks largely to the car’s 700kg kerb weight.
The 33 Stradale was the first production car with so-called butterfly doors. It also had disc brakes on all four 13-inch magnesium wheels. The starting price for a 33 Stradale these days is, according to luxury auction houses, around US $10 million.
